The New iPhone Chargers may require C-AUTH certification to fast charge at 18w

Reports suggest that the new iPhones will only be compatible with certified fast chargers only.

It is rumored that the new iPhones to be released this year will come with 18w fast chargers inside the box. A new report by Macotakara suggests that iPhones might only support fast charging with C-AUTH certified chargers.

In case the chargers are not certified, the iPhones will reportedly limit charging speed to 2.5w only. This implies that users who want fast charging will either have to use official chargers or third-party chargers that have received the relevant certification.

New USB-C Fast Charger, Source: Chongdiantou

This is a new regulation from Apple. iPhones from 2017 or earlier shipped with an ordinary 5w charger. The 29w fast charger from Apple cost an extra $49, but the iPhones were also fully compatible with other third-party chargers. It looks like Apple will no longer freely third-party chargers when they release fast charging for the newer iPhones this year.

What Is C-AUTH Certification?

C-AUTH is a system created by USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting USB. Apple is only one of a thousand members of the forum. C-AUTH is a system used to verify certifications and hardware identities cryptographically.

C-AUTH helps secure enterprise networks by allowing only certain devices to connect with each other, preventing any malicious third party in the middle. Implemented in Apple’s charging technology, it will be able to verify charger certification and decide charging speeds accordingly.

For iPhone consumers, C-AUTH certification guarantees that the new iPhones will not be prone to damage by faulty chargers. By authenticating chargers, the device makes sure the charger is safe to use and enables fast charging. It is worth noting that the iPhones will require both the adapter and the cable to be certified in order to support the full 18w charging speed.

Low Supply of Certified Fast Chargers

A new report also claimed that the 18w fast charger will not be available for sale at Apple’s launch event. This suggests that it might be difficult to get your hands on a certified charger instantly.

Sources from Apple’s supply chain who manage adapter manufacturing (Flextronics, Delta Electronics, Lite-On Technology, and others) earlier claimed that the factories will make just enough chargers to ship with the iPhones. There won’t be any chargers left to be sold separately at Apple stores.

Nishant is a tech-enthusiast, and keeps experimenting with new apps and tweaks on his Chromebook and Android smartphone. Innovative user-experience developments fascinate him. Apart from keeping a keen eye out for updates in the tech industry, Nishant is interested in Philosophy and Creative Writing.